Finding You
by Caskett2012
Summary: What happens when Castle gets kidnapped! Will Beckett, Esposito and Ryan find him in time? Will Kate finally say those 3 words before it's too late? Will Castle survive this or will he die in the process!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys … this is my first Caskett fan fic. I've been following as a reader for a little while so now I've decided to write one myself. I've been working on this for weeks now but I'm not quite sure about this chapter. I've proofread it over and over … made changes but I'm still not convinced that it's right, so here we go … What happens when Castle gets kidnapped! Will Beckett, Esposito and Ryan find him in time? Will Kate finally say those 3 words before it's too late? Will Castle survive this or will he die in the process!**

**Chapter 1**

**Unanswered **

It was a normal workday for Kate Beckett. There were the usual murders, evidence and witness statements, and all that paperwork that she just hated but, it was part of the job description. But, this workday turned from normal to unusual and scary. It was a clear morning and as usual, Castle would bring in coffee for the woman he loved … just to see a smile on her face. Nothing meant more to him then to see Beckett happy and she was. Finally she was … and it was with him. That morning, she had received a call of a body drop in uptown. As usual, she'd call Castle to inform him of the murder, but for some reason, when she called him to meet her at the crime scene, he never picked up. It was unlike him … so she called once more and again, no answer. A few more times, leaving messages … until she made the call to the loft hoping he would answer but instead it was Alexis …

"Hey Kate! If you're looking got my dad, he left to meet you at the crime scene!" With a lingering silence, Kate responded … "Alexis, I never called him until a few minutes ago. And this murder was reported no more than 20 minutes ago! When did he leave?" Alexis responded, "A couple hours ago! Wait, are telling me that you never called? Because I could have sworn I heard him speaking to you!"

Kate's heart stopped wondering what the hell was going on! "Alexis … I swear, I never called your father." Silence eliminated through the phone until Beckett finally broke it … "Ok, Alexis … don't panic! I'm sure it's a misunderstanding." Although Kate was trying to calm Alexis down, she was having a hard time convincing herself. There was no way Castle would disappear … not like this. Alexis responded, "Kate, what if something did happen? What if …" Kate cute her off before she could finish, "Sweetheart … don't think that way! I'm sure your dad is fine. We just have to stay positive."

All Kate heard were sniffles coming from Alexis. The thought of Castle missing was the last thing she ever thought could happen … especially after everything they've been through to be together. Alexis finally spoke up, "Kate … please … please, just find my dad and bring him home."

"I promise you Alexis … I will find him. Stay strong ok?" With that said, Alexis knew in her heart that she could trust Kate to find her father and bring him home. "Thank You Kate!" Alexis said with a little hope in her voice and they said their goodbyes.

Kate … the strong, willful and hardworking detective that she is, would do whatever it takes to bring home the man that made her feel whole again. Something she hadn't felt since the day her mom was murdered. He made her feel complete and the thought of never seeing him again, never really telling him how she felt … those three little simple words … **I LOVE YOU**, would be the biggest regret of her life.

Moments later, she arrived to the crime scene. The first thing she did was scan the area for Castle, she was hoping that this was just a nightmare and she would find him amongst the crowd, but nothing. Walking past the police tape, she headed towards Lanie who had since been examining the body for a cause of death and gathering whatever evidence that she could find that the killer left behind. As she approached with gloves in hand, Lanie looked up and said, "Finally! Girl, where have you been? And where's Castle?" She mentioning of his name brought back that phone call she had with Alexis. A worried look appeared on her face and Lanie then knew that something was wrong. Lanie stopped and took her by the hand, "Hey Kate? Are you alright?" Beckett didn't know how to tell her best friend … one of the most important people in her life that she trusted … that Castle may be missing.

She took a deep breathe, trying to control the tears that were welling up inside and responded, "Lanie … Castle's missing! I called him this morning to have him meet me here but he never answered. I called several times, left messages!" Lanie said with a concerned look on her face, "Did you call the loft? Maybe he's there!" She shook her head in disagreement, "No Lanie … Alexis picked up and told me that Castle left over two hours ago to meet me at a crime scene that never existed. I never called him of any sorts until after I received the call of this one. I looked everywhere to see if he was here and he's not. I'm trying to convince myself that this is just a nightmare and he'll walk past that police tape with two cups of coffee and greet me like always." Unable to control her emotions, Kate broke down and all Lanie could do was pull her aside to a secluded area and hold her best friend.

_**Just over two hours ago ….**_

Castle woke up that morning to the delicious smell of pancakes, bacon and eggs. Emerging from his room towards the kitchen, he'd been greeted by the gorgeous red head … his daughter Alexis.

Placing a kiss on her cheek, "Mmm … I just love the smell of pancakes in the morning. Good morning beautiful!" Alexis smiled and replied, "Morning dad! Thought I'd make breakfast! No need to thank me!" Castle smiled while taking a bit of his food, replying "Sweetheart … I thank you anyway!" Within minutes, breakfast was interrupted by the ringing sound of his cell phone. Looking at the caller ID with a smile, he answered "Morning Beautiful" indicating that it was indeed Beckett on the other end of the phone, Alexis returned to eating her breakfast. As Castle ended his call with Beckett, he gracefully gave Alexis another kiss on the cheek and as he did, she asked "Another murder?" Castle replied "Yup!" While heading to his bedroom, "Another day, another murder! Meeting Kate at the crime scene!"

Within minutes, he was ready and heading out the door. Walking towards the nearest coffee shop to retrieve his usual pickup for the day. He thought he'd take a shorter route so he began to walk through an alley when all of a sudden; a black unmarked van stopped and out jumped two men. Castle reacted in defense, but he wasn't fast enough. One of the guys stabbed him right in the stomach, causing Castle to collapse and with the butt of their riffle, knocked him out cold. He was dragged back to the van … and sped away in the early hours of the morning.

_**Back at the crime scene**_

After consoling her friend, Lanie looked Kate in the eyes and said "Have you reported it yet?" Beckett shook her head with tears still in her eyes. She finally responded, "A missing persons report can't be filed until after 24 hours. Lanie, I need to know that he's ok!" She sighed before she continued, "I never told him that I loved him! And if something has happened to him …" Her voice caught in her throat, with tears running down her cheeks. Lanie responded, "Kate, You can't work this case in you condition. You need to go and report this to Gates now! Ryan and Espo will take over. Maybe this is just a little misunderstanding but you won't know until you look into it yourself and report it."

Lanie was right … Kate had to know if this was a misunderstanding and she even told Alexis that but if it wasn't then she needed to take action and find Castle before anything happens to him. With response teams on sight, and with Ryan and Espo taking note of every possible lead they could get, Beckett thanked Lanie and made her way to the precinct to find Gates and see what she could do to help her get Castle back.

_**A few hours later**_

Castle woke up in a huge building that looked like a warehouse, tied down to a slab. Arms were spread out; his shirt was removed with only his pants and shoes on. Wincing in pain from the stab wound he received trying to defend himself he slowly took a deep breath, not knowing what the hell was going on; he called out "Hello! Hello can anyone hear me!" there was no answer.

Footsteps slowly began to approach him. Fearing what or who it could be, Castle took a deep but slow breath and to his surprise, this person was none other than 3XK … the person that he knew wasn't dead months prior on the bridge because no body was found. He even tried to explain to Beckett but she was convinced he was dead. Castle's eyes widened with fear, "What the HELL!" With a smile on his face, 3XK responded "Hello to you too Castle! Long time no see!" Castle just looked at him; no words could describe what he was feeling.

**Jerry Tyson** … better known as 3XK was known for his killing spree … slowly walked up towards Castle, "What … nothing to say?" Castle stared at him with so much hate, finally saying "What now! What are you gonna do now? What do you want from me?"

"Well … what I've always wanted since that day at the motel … REVENGE! You see Castle … you are the most important thing in Kate Beckett's life. Not to mention your daughter and mother. What I want …" He just smiled, laughing in the process before he continued "what I want … is to see you suffer, tortured and what not!"

Castle looked terrified. He had expected something to happen, but nothing like this. Tyson was gonna kill him and there was nothing he could do about it. Tyson implicated to do what he was meant to and that was the kill Castle … not right of way, but slowly, and he was gonna enjoy it. Tyson maintained his distance for now but before leaving he looked at Castle and said, "That stab wound looks painful! There's more where that came from!" Turning on his heels, he walked away leaving Castle alone in his thoughts. All he could think about was his family. Getting out of this alive and getting home to his mother and daughter the people that meant so much to him but the one person that really stuck in his mind was Kate. The love of his life … the woman that made him see things much differently since the day he met her. He wasn't gonna give up now! He wasn't gonna leave Kate behind … not after she had worked so hard to knock that wall down from within her. The one thing that shielded her from every letting anyone love her. She had finally let him in and he wasn't gonna let that wall resurface … not again. Tears welded up in his eyes, whispering to himself, "I Love You Kate! I love you!"

_**At the precinct**_

As soon as Beckett arrived to the precinct, she made her way to the Capitan's office. Knocking, she waited for a response and as soon as she got it, she walked in. Gates looked up from her desk with a confused smirk on her face and said, "Detective Beckett! What are you doing here? I thought you would be at the crime scene." Kate didn't respond and so Gates continued, "Detective … is everything alright?

Where's Mr. Castle?" Beckett finally responded trying to keep professional as possible without showing any emotion, "Sir! I need your help on a possible kidnapping. The reason why Castle isn't with me is because he's the one that's missing. I called his phone this morning to have him meet me at the crime scene but he never answered. It's not like him to ignore my calls. I even called the loft and I found out from Alexis that apparently I called him this morning about a crime scene that never existed. Sir, I never made that call!" Gates could see the worry in Beckett's eyes even though she's trying very hard to keep it together. Gates removes her glasses and rises from her seat and as she's approaching Beckett, she responds, "Detective … you do know the policy of missing persons … that a victim cannot be reported until after 24 hours. Now this happened just a few hours ago … are you sure that this is accurate? That Mr. Castle is nowhere to be found?"

Kate thought about it before answering, "Sir, with your permission, if I may, PLEASE …" Kate was about to lose it but controlled herself. "I promised his daughter that I would do whatever I could to bring him back! He's my partner and as his partner, I will do whatever it takes." Gates walked closer towards Beckett, and she could see that there was more to this than she was telling, but she knew it wasn't the right time or place to ask such questions so she thought it over, "You have my permission Detective and if you need anything … don't hesitate to ask." Kate nodded her head as a thank you and turned to walk out but before she could, Gates stopped her "Detective?" She turned to face her, "We will find him and when we do … we're gonna have a long talk!" Kate looked at her in shock "Sir!" Gates wasn't fooled by any of it, "Detective, it's obvious to me that you and Mr. Castle have something more than just a partnership but I'm not gonna get into it right now. All you need to focus on is finding him, and bringing him home. Now can you do that? Can you stay focused and not let your emotions get in the way?" Kate nodded and responded, "Yes Sir!"

Gates gave her a slight smile and nodded, "Good! Now … knowing that there are camera's around Rick Castles building, I'm sure you'll find something. Look into his normal routine." As soon as Kate was dismissed, she headed to her desk and started making phone calls to his ex-wives and his publicist Paula.

_**Back at the crime scene**_

Lanie examined the body for anything else that she may have missed. That's when Espo and Ryan walked up to her. She looked up from the body and they responded, "What do we have?" Lanie looked back at the body, "27 year old Male, cause of death was a 38 caliber to the head, close range. Name is James Christianson. Other than that, I won't know much until after the autopsy. Did you guys find anything?" Espo held up a bag, "A backpack fool of books. It looks like attended Columbia University. His phone and keys are still in tacked so there's nothing indicating a mugging but we won't know until we check into his background. "Lanie nodded and continued, "OK well if and when I find out more information, I will call you. I'll see you guys back at the morgue."

Once Lanie had her M.E. Assistance's load the body in the van, Ryan and Espo thought they would get some information out of her about what she and Beckett were talking about and why Beckett was not herself. Ryan asked first, "Hey Lanie is everything alright with Beckett? She didn't seem like herself this morning." Lanie looked at the boys who seemed concerned and she knew that if she didn't tell them what was going on, that they would eventually ask Beckett and she was in no condition to be put in that situation.

She pulled them aside and gave them the bad news, "It appears that there's been a kidnapping." They both looked confused so she continued, "It's Castle. If you'd noticed this morning, he wasn't present. Apparently he got a call from Beckett this morning indicating a murder that never existed. She called him more than once but there was no answer. She called the loft and that's when Alexis explained this fictional crime scene. That's why I told her to leave this case with you two so she could ask Gates for approval and look into the kidnapping herself." They were shocked to hear of this news. Espo finally spoke, "Why didn't she say anything?" Lanie sighed, "Because she's not in her right mind right now! This happened a few hours ago guys and she needs to find him. It all may be a misunderstanding but if not than she needs to be the one to do this and if she needs you guys, be there for her Ok?" The boys nodded in understanding and Lanie continued, "Look, I've got to head back to the morgue. I'll see you both later." Lanie made her way to the van, leaving the boys to do their job.

Heading back to the precinct, Ryan and Espo knew that they couldn't leave Beckett to do this on her own. After all, Castle was their friend too so they did what they had to do … not only as friends and partners, but also as brothers.

**Ok so tell me what you guys think! I'll be back with chapter 2 soon. Thanks! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, I noticed some errors in Chapter 1 so I proofread Chapter 2 to make sure that there were no misspellings of any kind and if I did, I am sorry in advance. Don't hesitate to inform me. Thanks.**

**I do not own Castle**

**Chapter 2**

**Videotapes**

_**Abandoned Warehouse …**_

Somewhere … God only knows; Castle is strapped to a slab bleeding from the wound he received a few hours ago. One of the men who attacked him this morning appeared from within the shadows with a video camera. Followed right behind were 3XK and the other mystery man and in his hands were 2 very large steel pipes. A huge smile appeared on Jerry Tyson's face, a smile which meant that his torturing was about to begin. As Tyson approached him, he saw the fear in Castles eyes, giving him that feeling of pleasure. "Well Mr. Castle, I do believe it's time to begin. But first, I'm having a video made and sent to the precinct to your beloved Kate. I'm sure by now she's looking for you!" Castle's eyes were filled with tears fearing that this may be the end of his life. But he wasn't gonna give up, no matter what, when he said _ALWAYS_ … he meant it. Tyson looked up and as soon as he did, one of the men nodded letting him know that it was time.

_**Back at the precinct …**_

After making phone calls to Meredith, Gina and Paula, confirming that they hadn't heard or seen Castle, she definitely knew that is was not a misunderstanding. Castle was in trouble but she had very little to go on. After submitting a petition for a warrant, she managed to retrieve the video footage of Castles building. That's when Ryan and Espo walked into the bullpen towards Beckett. "Yo Beckett, anything yet on Castles whereabouts?" Beckett shook her head, "No. How did you know … wait, Lanie told you right?" Ryan stepped in this time, "Beckett, if there's anything we can do to help, tell us. He's our friend too. We're gonna find him." Kate nodded her head, trying to keep her emotions under control and headed back to the conference room, closing the door behind her.

The boys knew she couldn't do this alone so they headed towards Gates' office. A knock on the door and walking in, Gates looked up from her desk, confused "Detectives, what's the meaning of this?" Espo spoke, "Sir, we're sorry to interrupt but we'd like to turn over our case to another homicide team. We feel its best that we assist Beckett in Castles kidnapping." Gates rose from her chair, "Detectives, I'm sorry but I'm afraid that's impossible! It is far too late to …" She was interrupted by Ryan, "We understand that Sir but with all due respect, Castle is a part of our team. Cop or not, he's important to us and Beckett can't do this on her own." Gates walked from around her desk, deep in thought and then replied, "I see! And no matter what I say, you're not gonna let this go are you?" They shook their heads in response. Gates knew she didn't have a choice, "Ok Detectives, you have my permission to assist Beckett in her investigation. Your case will be reassigned to Karpowski and her team. I'm never this lenient when it comes to anything but I'll make an exception this one time. You will maintain professionalism! Keep me posted and please, on your way out, brief Karpowski." With that said, she returned to her work as the boys headed out. They were gonna do whatever it takes to get Castle back, not leaving Kate to do it on her own because frankly, she was about to crack and they weren't gonna let that happen. Kate was strong when it came to her work but in this case, it was Castle … her boyfriend. They were gonna find him, one way or another.

Once they were done briefing Karpowski, Ryan and Espo headed to the conference room where Kate was doing her brainstorming. Being out in the bullpen wasn't doing her any good, thus with the constant work ethics going on, she needed peace and quiet. Kate looked up from her work, "What's going on? I thought you guys would be out looking into that homicide?" Espo and Ryan walked over to have a seat, and that's when Ryan responded, "We were but … you need us right now Beckett and so does Castle. We talked to Gates and she gave us permission to help! He's our friend too Kate and we want him back as much as you do." Kate's eyes began to form tears knowing that her partners, her friends were there when she was in a crisis. She nodded her head in acceptance saying, "Thank you."

Within the few hours, Beckett, Ryan and Espo ran through video footage, possible contacts … every lead they could think of but there was nothing. Gates had gone home for the day but before leaving; she informed them to keep her updated. It wasn't until later that L.T. walked in, "Excuse me, sorry to interrupt but Detective Beckett, you have a package." She looked confused, "Do you know from whom?" L.T. shook his head handing it to her, "No return address. Just your name." Beckett took the package and L.T. returned to his work duties in the precinct. She then immediately opened it revealing a DVD marked with her name **"Detective Kate Beckett"**. Placing the DVD inside the computer, she braced herself. But, she didn't expect what was to be revealed … the one person Castle tried to tell her that wasn't dead months ago on that bridge … _**3XK**_.

**DVD in motion**

"_**Well Hello Detective Beckett! If you're wondering why I'm contacting you … it's because I have something no … (laughing) … I have someone that is extremely important to you. I'm sure you can take a wild guess but instead, I'd rather show you." **_Within that time, the camera was pointed in the direction of Castle … who was in so much pain from the single stab wound. Beckett gasped in horror as tears formed and fell from her face. Then the camera was turned back towards Tyson_, __**"As you can see … you're beloved partner/ boyfriend is tied down to a slab. Now, he's not doing too well as you can tell. That wound is pretty bad and with the cold air in this building … it doesn't help. Now detective, if you want to see your boyfriend again, I suggest you figure out where I am within the next 48 hours. If you're not here within that time, you're beloved boyfriend here will be DEAD! You're time starts NOW! Oh, and let Detective Ryan know that I said hello. I'm sure he's there with you. (Laughing) … Until then, enjoy the show."**_

As Kate, Ryan and Esposito watched Tysons goons torture Castle, in that brief moment, Kate broke down, seeing the love of her life in so much pain. She tried not to let her emotions get the best of her, determined to stay professional like she said she would, but this … this was too much. Ryan grabbed Kate and embraced her in a tight hug as Espo shut the DVD off. They'd never seen her in so much pain, so scared, she felt helpless. If she'd believed him months prior, she would have continued this manhunt for 3XK. But she brushed it off assuring Castle that he was indeed dead and that he had nothing to worry about. Once she had calmed herself down, Ryan sat her in a chair and let her be for the time being.

Espo pulled Ryan aside, "She can't deal with this tonight. Look at her!" Ryan turned and he could see the pain that she was going through. As hard as she tried, nothing could take away the image of her boyfriend being beaten by these sick assholes. He turned back towards Javi, "Call Lanie and have her escort Beckett home. We can't have her drive … and she could use a friend right now. In the meantime, you and I are gonna continue looking for that sick son of a bitch and put him away once and for all." Javi nodded as he pulled out his phone to dial Lanie.

Ryan walked back to Beckett, and had a seat next to her. Grabbing her hands, "Hey! How are you holding up?" She looked at him, eyes red and puffy as more tears left them. Nothing Ryan could say or do could take away the pain that was burning in her heart. By then Espo came by with some tissues, handing them to Kate. She accepted, whipping away her tears, she took a deep breath, trying to respond but the words were caught in her throat. Ryan intervened, "Its ok. You don't have to say anything but Javi and I want you to go home and rest." She shook her head, "No!" More tears escaped from her eyes as she stood up from her chair, protesting in anger. "I'm not leaving until we find him. He needs me." Within that time, Lanie had arrived, Javi spoke, "Beckett, we're gonna find him. But you can't work in this condition. If Gates sees that you're emotions are getting the best of you, she _will_ pull you from this case. You need to go home and rest! Get some sleep and come back with a fresh start in the morning. Ryan and I will stay here a little while longer and keep looking for this psychotic son of a bitch."

By then Lanie approached her, "Honey! Listen to the boys please. You need to go home and sleep. Castle wouldn't want you to work in this state of mind." Kate took in what her friends were saying, and they were right. "Ok. Ok I'll go home. But if anything and I mean _anything_ comes up … you call me!" Ryan nodded as he stood up from his chair, "Of course. We're not giving up Kate. He's coming home. We'll see to it that he does." Kate gave him a small but sad smile indicating that she understood. Lanie handed Kate her stuff, "Come on … I'm taking you home. And if you need me to stay, just say the word." Kate's eyes were still filled with tears, and she didn't want to be alone tonight, "Please … stay." Lanie grabbed her friends hand and then pulled her into a tight hug, "Of course I will honey." With that said, Lanie and Kate walked to the elevator as Javi and Kevin stood observing the two women. As they entered the elevator, Kate just broke down in her best friend's arms, and then the doors closed.

_**Back at the abandoned warehouse … **_

Castle had awoken from his last beating. He'd been beaten senselessly, the uncontrollable pain running through his body wishing it was a dream. Cuts, bumps, bruises, broken bones and the stab wound … he was living in a nightmare that wouldn't end. He felt like a punching bag, there anger being taken out on him and all he could do was take it.

He slowly moved his head up to look at his body, wincing in pain, he saw blood streaming from the wound, and his rib cage was turning purple indicating that they were probably broken. Pain was shooting up his legs, not even to move them just a little. He laid his head back down and as he did, he felt his whole world flash before his eyes as he thought back to his family … his daughter, Alexis … the little girl that brought joy to his life the day she was born, his pride and joy. His mother, Martha … who struggled to make ends meet but managed to be the best mother he could ever ask for. And then there was his girlfriend, Kate … the detective that would put up with his childish behavior, the woman that changed him for the better, the woman that he loved more than anything in this world. Tears started forming in his eyes, desperately aching, wanting to go home to his family … to Kate. He had to be strong, he was determined to get through this no matter how long he had to and he knew that Kate was determined to find him no matter what it took.

In that time, 3XK appeared from within the shadows of the darkness, stepping into the light where Castle was. "You're awake! Good! (Laughs) I love seeing the fear in your eyes. I let you get away from me once; I was determined to not let it happen again." Castle inhaled slowly before speaking, "I knew you didn't die on that bridge. Something inside of me was telling me that you never were." Smiling he said, "And your girlfriend didn't believe you did she?" Castle looked away and Tyson continued, "If she had … if she along with detective Ryan continued to find me, you wouldn't be here and I'd probably be back in custody serving my life sentence. It's her fault if you die." Castle spoke this time breathing heavily, "I would never blame them for your idiotic choices. No one forced you to become this psychotic son of a bitch. It's your fault … everything that you're doing, what you did to those girls. You're a psychotic wake job who preys on young women to get what he wants. You … are … a … disgrace … to … society!"

Tyson came closer, hands behind his back, "Having a hard time breathing huh? (laughing)Well, as much as I would love to hear your negative thoughts about me, there's really something else that I'd rather do." With that he turned to retrieve a knife that was lying on the table behind him. Walking closer with the knife in hand, he smiled and ran the knife slowly across his skin.

_**Castle … thinking to himself**_

_**Come on Castle … don't let him see your fear. That's what he wants; he wants to see that you're letting him win. You have to stay strong for your family … for Kate. **_

Looking at him, Castle finally spoke, "I'm not gonna give into you Tyson. I let you get the best of me months ago when you framed me for murder. But no matter what you do **…**_** I … will … never … ever … give … into … you**_**!"** Kate will find me and when she does, she will see to it that you are put away …_** for good.**_ Tyson just stood there, and with no hesitation, stabbed Castle in the arm. As painful as it was, he held in his screams and took it like a man. Smiling, Tyson pulled the knife from his arm, "I'm counting on it! And you will crack again. This whole macho man scene can only last for so long. Anyway, in the meantime, sleep tight. Until tomorrow Castle … until tomorrow." Tyson disappeared into the shadows of the night, leaving Castle alone. Fear wasn't going to bring him down. He needed to think of all the positive things in his life … the determination of getting out of this alive. Closing his eyes he thought: _Alexis … mother … Javi … Lanie … Kevin … Jenny … my love, my heart, and my life … Kate! God … I love you Kate! I love you!_

**That is the end of Chapter 2. Tell me what you think. Thanks to ****southerngirl1**** and ****uofmcowgirl**** for reviewing and to all the viewers and followers from the bottom of my heart. There's more to come in Chapter 3 … coming soon. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Finding You: By** **Caskett2012**

Sorry for the huge, huge, huge delay! I've been extremely busy with work. It's not easy working nights and coming home to write. But today is my day off so I decided to finish this chapter... Here we go. Again … thanks to those who've read and reviewed.

Just to give you guys a heads up, I put in a random coffee name … so … yah

I Do Not Own Castle …

**Chapter 3**

**Determination**

_**Beckett's Apartment …**_

Arriving to Beckett's apartment after retrieving some clothes and toiletries from her own, Lanie sat with Kate on the couch. Kate just sat there in a trans, thinking back to the DVD, where she witnessed Castle being tortured. 3XK's revenge … he was gonna kill Castle, slowly and she and the boys only had less than 48 hours to find him before it was too late. Kate finally spoke, "You should have seen him Lanie, so helpless, scared, he was screaming …" her voice was breaking as she continued, "They had these huge steel pipes and they were …" by then, she broke down and as Lanie pulled her into a hug she responded, "Shhh … it's ok! You don't have to explain."

Tears fell from her own eyes as she tries to comfort her best friend. "I can't imagine what you're going through." Kate responded as best she could through her crying, "Lanie … hearing the pain in his voice, hearing the impact of those … those pipes hitting flesh … he was never supposed to go through this! It's my fault that this is happening to him because of my line of work being so dangerous."

Lanie slowly pulled away from her embrace, wiping the tears from her face she said, "Honey … listen to me and listen good! You are not to blame for this! Not you, not Javi and not even Kevin. No one but this sick ass hole is to blame. You couldn't have known that this was going to happen ok! You are one of the most intelligent, hardworking Detectives that I know who is determined to get the job done. Don't let this psychotic idiot take that away. You have to stay positive … stay strong … for Castle." Kate felt that even though it wasn't her fault, something inside of her told her otherwise. But she understood what Lanie was saying and she finally relaxed.

After talking for a little over an hour, Lanie suggested that they turn in, and besides, Kate was tired from all the crying she did earlier. Heading to her room, Kate closed the door only to leave it slightly ajar just in case she needed Lanie. After getting more comfortable, and before heading to bed, she made her way to her dresser, and opened the drawer that she gave Castle on Valentine's Day reveling one of his dress shirts. She pulled it out and began to take in his scent and when she did that, tears slowly began to weld in her eyes. She'd give anything to see his ruggedly handsome face again. To tell him once and for all that she loved him. Still holding onto his shirt, she closed his drawer and slipped it on. Finally the tears slowly fell from her eyes as she embraced his shirt, still smelling it as she climbed into bed. It was going to be the longest night of her life.

_**Back at the 12**__**th**__** …**_

Javi continued to look through the footage of 3XK and his men. They also looked through the footage from Castle's loft, still finding it unsuccessful in the end. Javi let out a huge sign, "How you doing over there bro?" Ryan looked up from the paperwork on Jerry Tyson, "Not good! I don't even know why I'm looking into this file. Nothing in here indicates his M.O. towards Castle except his violent revenge for ruining his crime spree."

Both Esposito and Ryan take in a deep breathe … it had been long enough for them to take the rest of the night off. Finding no traces. Espo finally spoke, "Let's head home bro. There's nothing more we can do. Until tomorrow!" They both grab there things, and as Ryan was putting on his coat, he asked Javi, "Do you think Beckett's doing alright?" Espo signed "Lanie's with her so I'm guessing as long as she has a friend, she'll be ok." Ryan nodded and both boys headed out for the night.

_**Back at Beckett's Apartment … 4:30 a.m. **_

Only getting a few hours of sleep, Kate could not get the image of Castle out of her head. The pain that he must be in. All dried out from crying, she was now in a state of determination … contemplating her next move in getting her boyfriend back. She sat up in her bed …

_**Thinking …**_

_** Come on Kate … think! Clear your mind of negative thoughts. As far as you're concerned, he's still alive … **_

Turning on the light, Kate removed herself from her bed … pacing back and forth, thinking …

_**... Ok, so his daily routine is that every morning, I call Castle to inform him of a body drop. He then brings me a cup of coffee to start off the day …**_

_**Flashback …**_

_** Remembering the image of Castle strolling in with both cups in hand and on their … was a logo of a café. Caribou Coffee!**_

_**Present …**_

And then something clicked … so she quickly ran to wake Lanie up to tell the news.

She whispered, "Lanie! Lanie!" and as she did, she slowly steered awake, looking at Kate with concern and then quickly sat up. "Honey! Is everything ok?" Kate nodded her head, "I'm fine! Look … I just figured out something. Castles routine never changes right! He's always by the phone waiting for my calls, and he always finds time to bring me coffee. I remember the name of the café that he buys the coffee from. It's not too far from the loft … Caribou Coffee! I looked into the footage from the inside of the building not the outside. And If I'm not mistaken, the stores down the street have an image of Castle walking by. If I retrieve those, maybe we'll find a pattern and find 3XK and his goons.

Lanie nodded and then a light switch turned on saying, "What about the call?" Kate thought about that and replied, "His phone records will only show my number but as soon as I get to the precinct, I'll have tech cross reference and hopefully they'll find where that call was made from. It's a long shot Lanie but it's a risk I'm willing to take. I'll do anything to bring him home! Not just for me but for Martha and Alexis. I promised them that I would do everything I can and I'm not going to stop until he's safe and home with us. I'm not about to lose another person that I love from my life! I already lost my mom Lanie! There is no way in hell I'm gonna lose Castle too.

Lanie took Kate's hand and responded, "We're not gonna lose him. You, Javi, and Kevin are the best damn detectives I know. Come on, let's get ready!" Kate pulled her into a warm embrace, "Thank you Lanie! Thank you for putting up with me and for being the person that I could always count on." Lanie pulled away saying, "I'll always be there for you Kate! Nothing will ever change that!"

Kate was determined … _Now more than Ever. _If she had anything to say about it … Rick Castle, famous mystery novelist … was coming home.

_**Back at the Warehouse …**_

It was the early hours of the morning and Castle was just waking up … to his dismay, as he opened his eyes, 3XK was sitting in a chair watching and with a smile he arose, "Well … good morning Castle! Sleep well?" Castle just laid there, ignoring the question so Tyson continued, "I'll take that as a no!" Tyson paces back and forth, "You know, I can't tell you how satisfied I'll be when things fall apart. You're precious Kate … she'll never forgive herself if she doesn't figure out where you're at within the next … let me see … 36-35 hours. You're simply losing more blood by the second! Normally, people can't take the pain and they just simply fade … they die quickly but you … you on the other hand, are hanging on by a thread. I'm impressed! (Laughing)."

Castle turned his head slowly, looking at him, hiding the pain … "I've grown to understand you! I've been afraid for too long … but now I know that being afraid … It's not worth it. Kate will figure it out and she will do what she does best … put your ass behind bars where you belong. What I prefer … is to see you get the gas chamber although they don't do that anymore. Ooh but they do lethal injections … all those poisons running through your veins … killing you nice and slow. That … (laughing) that is something I would pay to see!" Castle laid there with a big smile.

This of course pissed Troy off and with no hesitation, walked up to Castle and punched him across the face; blood flowing from his mouth. Tyson's was now filled with rage and anger, "Believe me when I say this …" Tyson gets closer to Castle, looking him straight in the eye, "You … will … get … what … you … deserve. Starting … NOW!" Tyson flags his goons down, and as they untie him from the slab, Tyson has set the camera up again to record and send another DVD to Detective Beckett. Castle has managed to control his pain and he will continue to do so no matter what they do. Tysons goons tie his hands together and then place them on a hook; and soon Castle is hanging slightly off the ground only by the wrists.

Tyson walks towards Castle and stands next to him as his goons begin to record, **"Hello again Detective Beckett! I'm sure you're wondering why I'm sending you another DVD. Well … I thought I'd give you an update on your boys' condition. As you can see, he looks pretty bad but to my surprise, he's hanging on (Laughs) … As hard as he's trying to stay strong, his body tells otherwise. I'll let him say a few words."** The Camera is then focused on Castle alone … He takes a slow but painful breath, **"Kate! Kate … I know it's hard to see me like this. Don't be afraid … stay strong and do what you do best because I know you and I know that you will find me and put this psychotic son of a bitch behind bars for good. When I said ALWAYS … I meant it … keep that close to your heart. I love you Kate … I… love you!"** Tyson stepped in … **"The clock is ticking Detective! Tick tock, tick tock! (Laughing) …"**

_**At the Precinct … 5:30 a.m.**_

Arriving to the precinct, Kate was now in full Detective mode. Heading straight for the conference room and started making arrangements to retrieve surveillance from all the boutiques and stores to get a better understanding of Castles disappearance. It was 6:00 am and while sitting at the computer, she pulled up the café information along with a map to better understand Castles kidnapping. It didn't take long before Kate connected the dots. She made a call, "Yes this is detective Kate Beckett badge number 41319. I need a technician up her in the homicide conference room ASAP. Thank you."

At this point, Capitan Gates was in early and already in her office when Kate walked in. Gates looked up from her paperwork, "Detective! Any news of Mr. Castle's whereabouts?" Kate responded, "Sir, I believe we may have a break!" She showed her the information and as Gates looked up she replied, "Are you sure about this detective?" Kate nodded her head as she replied, "Yes sir! As soon as we get ahold of those tapes and look through them, I'm positive that there will be a pattern of Castle's disappearance. There's no doubt in my mind sir!" Gates gave her a slight smile and said, "Alright detective! I have no doubt in my mind of you findings. I'll put in for those warrants ASAP. It'll take some time but I'll make damn sure that we get it soon." Kate nodded, "Thank you sir!" And excused herself. Earlier that morning, she had called Javi and Kevin to have them meet her at the precinct ASAP.

The boys were in by 6:15 a.m. heading straight for the conference room to meet Beckett, Javi spoke, "So what's this information that you have?" Kate replied, "Well … I was thinking all night about Castles routine. It never changes. He always brings me a cup of coffee to start the day!" She walked over towards the computer to pull up the logo of the café, "Caribou Coffee! This coffee shop is not too far from the loft. Now … like an idiot, I didn't think to retrieve the surveillance from these boutiques!" She pulls up a map of the stores. "Now … there's an alleyway … a shortcut to the café. I'm thinking that he took this route and that's when 3XK's goons caught him off guard." Ryan spoke up this time, "Kate … you're not an idiot! You were in a state of mind where you couldn't think straight. And that's ok!"

Kate smiled and continued, "Thank you … for being here!" Javi replied, "Beckett … we love him too! We've got your back!" Smiling she said, "Very well appreciated. Anyway, Gates has put in for warrants and as soon as we get them … we're bolting out those doors." Javi responded, "And what about Alexis? Are you going to tell her about this lead?" Kate took a deep breath and said, "Yah … I think … I think she has the right to know what's going on. I promised her we'd bring him back guys! I'm not breaking that promise."

The boys nodded their heads in understanding and before Beckett excused herself, she responded, "Oh and tech should be in shortly to look into Castle's phone records." Javi replied, "What are they gonna find there? All it's going to show are yours and Castle's numbers." Kate turned and said, "I'm aware of that Javi. What I'm saying is … since I never made that call, I'm hoping that tech can cross-reference and find where that specific call came from. And if I'm correct, that is where they're holding Castle. So if I'm not back by the time they get here, please inform them of this information and see what they can do. I have a feeling that we're getting close." Beckett walked out the door towards the break room. Closing the door behind her for more privacy, she made the call to Alexis.

A couple of ringing went through the phone until there was a click, "Hello!" Kate sighed and replied, "Alexis! It's Kate." Lex sighed, "Kate! Is there any news on my dad?" Kate took a deep breath and preceded, "There may have a lead. Warrants have been issued for surveillance footage of the boutiques and shops from the morning that your dad disappeared. Now I want you to understand that we are doing everything we can to bring him home. I promised you. I'm not breaking that promise." Lex replied, "I know Kate. I trust you to bring him home."

Kate smiled slightly at the thought of Lex trusting her. She loved her dad and she knew that Lex knew. She continued, "There's something else you need to know. Um … we know who took your dad. The problem is … we need to find out where they're holding him." Hesitating to continue, she paused and that's when Lex spoke, "Kate. What aren't you telling me?" Tears start to weld up in her eyes but managed to control them and continued, "Lex … they sent me a DVD of your dad being tortured. He's badly hurt Lex and we only have less than 48 hours to find him. I know you're worried but try to stay positive ok?" Kate could hear Lex sniffling over the phone.

There was silence for a moment until Alexis spoke, "Kate!" Kate responded, "Yes sweetheart?" Alexis replied, "Thank you for keeping me posted. My dad really loves. So do I and of course gram does too. There's no one else I trust more than you Kate. In quoting my dad … "you are … extraordinary! Remember that." Kate's eyes let the tears fall and as a smile appeared on her face, she responded, "Thank you Lex and know that I love you too. And of course Martha. I'll continue to keep you posted."

Kate ended her call and headed back to the conference room to find L.T. speaking to the boys with Gates present. Following right behind was tech. As Kate walked in, Javi and Ryan looked her and in Ryan's hand … was an envelope. The same kind that was delivered yesterday. L.T. excused himself and she and the technician proceeded inside. Javi spoke, "Kate. This came for you." Kate walked towards Ryan … hesitant on opening it but held her ground. She took the envelope, took a deep breath and ripped it open to find another DVD. She turned to her fellow co-workers who nodded … assuring her that everything was gonna be ok. Holding the DVD in her hand, she turned towards the computer and inserted the disc … bracing herself again for what's to come.

_**DVD …**_

"**Hello again Detective Beckett! I'm sure you're wondering why I'm sending you another DVD. Well … I thought I'd give you an update on your boys' condition. As you can tell, he looks pretty bad but to my surprise, he's hanging on (Laughs) … As hard as he's trying to stay strong, his body tells otherwise. I'll let him say a few words."** The Camera is then focused on Castle alone … He takes a slow but painful breath, **"Kate! Kate … I know it's hard to see me like this. Don't be afraid … stay strong and do what you do best because I know you and I know that you will find me and put this psychotic son of a bitch behind bars for good. When I said ALWAYS … I meant it … keep that close to your heart. I love you Kate … I… love you!"** Tyson stepped in … **"The clock is ticking Detective! Tick tock, tick tock! (Laughing) …"**

The screen goes blank … knowing that Castle was alive, she was now more than ever determined to find him and bring him home. Turning towards the boys, they knew she ready for action. Gates spoke, "Detectives … As soon as those warrants are in my hands, which should be any minute now, you see to it that this son of a bitch and put him away. Detective Beckett … hang in there. We will bring him home." Kate nodded as they both exchanged smiles of gratitude. Gates excused herself and headed back to her office to wait for the warrant.

Kate cleared her throat and that's when the technician responded, "Detective Beckett?" Kate turned and replied, "Oh … Sorry." He responded, "No need Detective. I understand." Kate nodded and continued, "Um … I need you to look into Richard Castle's phone records. I need you to cross-reference a phone call that was made …" She pulled up the phone records on the computer, "At 7:26 am. Now, although this is my number, I never made that call. We didn't get a body drop until 9:32 am. Is there any way you can find that location?" The technician responded, "It's gonna take some time Detective but I'm sure I can. I'll keep you posted." Kate nodded, "Thank you. I didn't get your name?" He responded, "Mark. Mark Jamison." Kate smiled, "Thank you Mark. Please … if there's any way you could speed this up. His doesn't have very much time." Mark replied, "I'll do my best Detective. You have my word."

Leaving the tech to do his job … Kate, Javi and Kevin headed to the break room to recharge. But before they could do that, Gates emerged from her office, "Detectives! Those warrants been granted." Walking towards them, she handed it to Kate and said, "Do whatever it takes. You are a damn good Detective Kate and I have the utmost respect for you. The hard work you put in to make sure that this city is safe. I know in my heart that you will find Mr. Castle and bring him home. I have faith in you! So do Esposito, Ryan and this entire precinct." Capitan Gates was never this affectionate. But she understood the value of love and even though Kate was being professional, deep down … her heart was breaking to know that Rick was out there somewhere … injured and not knowing where he was … was eating her up inside. Kate responded, "Thank you sir! It means a lot to know that I have your support." She looked around, "All of your support." Gates nodded her head, "Now … take care of business. Bring. Him. Home! Keep me posted. If you find anything in that alleyway, call forensics ASAP." Kate replied, "Yes sir."

Now having possession of legal warrants, Beckett, Esposito, and Ryan headed out to retrieve surveillance footage in hopes of finding Castle and bring him home.

_**Kate thinking …**_

_**Hang on Castle … Just hang on a little bit longer! For Alexis ... for Martha ... for the 12th ... for me! I love you!**_

**Alright guys … Again … I am so, so sorry for the long wait. I'll do my best to get the next chapter out soon but I can't promise you anything. Please review … Until next time. **** -A-**


	4. Author's Apology

Hey everyone. I made some changes in Chapter 3 … I understand that there's been some confusion in finding the dialog. Hopefully it's a little bit easier to read now. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Thanks

-A-


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